This post should win some kind of award.
Ox
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This post should win some kind of award.
Watch every interview the lad has done since joining and tell me he was a mistake. He gets the club more than most players even ones here a long time.
I love him and there is no way he is our biggest mistake.
Apart from the 33 games with Milan and 23 with Juventus on loan, followed by 80-odd games over three seasons for Fiorentino
So I make that 136 games in Seria A in 5 years
Not that he wasn't a bad signing for us, just he did do OK after his one pointless season with us
He’s been out for over a year.
A lot of those artist are a bit fragile. Fucking babies the lot of them.
Despite the goal, in the first half he wasn't really at the races. He was, once again, repeatedly losing the ball and leaving us liable to the counter. All clicking much better in the second half, and that goal was beautiful.
Made up for him. Great lad, great pro, and he offers us a little something different driving on in the final third.His finish for the second goal was ridiculous.
Hated him when we signed him but he won me over pretty quickly. Easing himself back in nicely. Will be a very important player for us this season.
Hated him when we signed him but he won me over pretty quickly. Easing himself back in nicely. Will be a very important player for us this season.
Still needs consistency in his general performance as he loses too many simple balls but like I said earlier, I like Ox, as he's the only midfielder that can dribble and shoot from range. That threat is useful against low blocks. It also opens up passes.
If he can improve on the simple things and his defensive responsibility, there's no reason why he shouldn't be a first teamer.
If he can improve on the simple things and his defensive responsibility, there's no reason why he shouldn't be a first teamer.
I avoided this thread for it's typical Bluebell hysteria (please start one on Keita so he can get a double vs Spurs) ! However since it's now topical ...
This is one of the reasons we should keep him .. we have very few players who can score from distance, and he can as he's proven time and again.
Fuck me. You can be a right dumb twat at times.
Currently only Ox and Shaq can adequately play that third CM role in a truly attacking way. Gini does it for Country but not for Club. Given Shaq is phased out we should be happy that Ox is fit again and can prove his worth in this role, as he did during many games in the 17/18 CL run.
It's all about balance though, isn't it? If your midfield is mucking about and losing the ball, forcing your strikers to run back and defend, that's the opposite of "unleashing." But equally if the midfield lacks creativity and forces the front 3 to always create something between themselves, that can be a problem.
The Hendo and Gini midfield usually does a good job of consistently delivering the ball to the feet of the front 3 and also shielding the defense; Hendo is also good at opening space for Salah with his runs (something Ox should do more of) – but they carry almost no goal threat themselves. Keita and Ox make our play easier on the eye and carry a lot more goal threat – but they also both need to prove their fitness, consistency and adaptability to changing game situations. Hopefully, like it happened with Fabinho (and Ox before the injury), they will eventually get fully integrated and we'll get the best of both worlds.
Keita, whilst I am a fan, I thought put in somewhat of a cowardly attacking performance last night. I want to see more forward passing and more forward runs.
I don't think I saw him make one forward run to break their defensive line off the ball. And only once did I see him really drive at Genk with the ball at his feet and scare their midfield. It almost resulted in him getting through. We need to see more of that. Instead of just the safe pass.
On the defensive side, he was more responsible than Oxlade. He was in the right positions and intercepted a few balls. Only thing is, his running power is questionnable. Doesn't seem as strong or quick over long distances as a Kante. I saw one moment in the game that Fabinho started behind him and powered past him to tackle a Genk midfielder who was on Keita's side. He really needs to get into the gym as he doesn't look half the athlete he looked at RBL.
Back to the Ox, I reckon he got taken off last night with an eye to the weekend. He'll probably see some game time there. Also, we are still building up his match resilience.
I don't think I saw him make one forward run to break their defensive line off the ball. And only once did I see him really drive at Genk with the ball at his feet and scare their midfield. It almost resulted in him getting through. We need to see more of that. Instead of just the safe pass.
On the defensive side, he was more responsible than Oxlade. He was in the right positions and intercepted a few balls. Only thing is, his running power is questionnable. Doesn't seem as strong or quick over long distances as a Kante. I saw one moment in the game that Fabinho started behind him and powered past him to tackle a Genk midfielder who was on Keita's side. He really needs to get into the gym as he doesn't look half the athlete he looked at RBL.
Back to the Ox, I reckon he got taken off last night with an eye to the weekend. He'll probably see some game time there. Also, we are still building up his match resilience.
I would not be at all surprised if he was playing to Klopp's orders. You can't have both him and Ox playing as attacking midfielders and leaving Fabs alone.
Watching Keita you could see him controlling midfield and virtually making all the decisions on when and how to switch play from side to side (some lovely 30m ball to feet passes in there too) or through the middle.
He is very very cool on the ball (not just the pass with his back but also that time when back in our corner with Robbo sorting out their attack). Not to say he was perfect as defensively he could improve his tracking but still his defensive contribution is being missed by some.
I love these Keita stats so here they are again, if only just to emphasise the point above :
Naby Keita was absolute class tonight. Didn’t score or assist but he absolutely ran the show, made the most passes completed (110), most final third passes (29), most ball recoveries (12), most tackles won (3) and most take-ons completed (3).
This thread will be archived to the Vault, yes ? 🙂
From my point of view, anyone who wears the red shirt should always be always supported, not criticised or run down. (On the other hand, maybe Ox saw this thread and it motivated him. Who knows. 🙂 ),
From my point of view, anyone who wears the red shirt should always be always supported, not criticised or run down. (On the other hand, maybe Ox saw this thread and it motivated him. Who knows. 🙂 ),
Brendan is going to love him. The ultimate you have to get football to appreciate him player. I adore him. Robbo, Keita and Mane marauding down the left for 6 years please. He needs to get much fitter.
I'm almost positive Keita has been told to do just the basics. The lad clearly has a confidence issue, & whenever a player has that they're always told to just keep it simple.
That said, I thought he still had a very good game. His passing was extremely good. There's still a fair few issues, not least tracking back (which he does try, but inconsistently & haphazardly) & he's not aggressive enough in tackling, which may be him trying not to have as many cards as he got in Germany, positionally he has definitely improved, but it was hard to tell how much cos last night was very far from our usual organised shape.
That said, I thought he still had a very good game. His passing was extremely good. There's still a fair few issues, not least tracking back (which he does try, but inconsistently & haphazardly) & he's not aggressive enough in tackling, which may be him trying not to have as many cards as he got in Germany, positionally he has definitely improved, but it was hard to tell how much cos last night was very far from our usual organised shape.
Quality that song.
Didnt he win the ball back and the quickly release the front 3 into space for Manés goal?
Confidence issue? Is that why he did that pass with his BACK after 8 seconds last night? Did you see that? Did you?!?!?!
To be honest, I was at the gym watching the game on my phone (small screen, between sets of deadlifts, missed the first 10mins), so my view of the game was somewhat limited. I just soooooo want him to do well and shut the doubters up; I guess I am just hoping for some form of goal or assist or key pass that I can crow about. But like you say, it was a very controlled performance, very much in the Gini mould. And I didn't think we paid 60 odd million, and waited a season, for a player more safe than Gini.
Perhaps that actually was his instructions last night from Klopp and I'm expecting him to do things that he's been asked not to do.
I still think defensively, he needs to get himself in the gym still. If he had the power of an Essien/Kante (like how I expected when he first came), he'd be a beast as he really does press very well and intensely when the ball breaks to the opposition. However, he's not powerful enough right now to win the ball cleanly and then start a counter, in the manner that Kante does for Chelsea.
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His 'game' before joining us seemed to be a lot around tackling/intercepting and then beating a man to get into space and help us form an attack, but less around being at the sharp end for goals or assists. I'd like to see him attempting more take ons, but he was at least getting stuck in a lot yesterday and also making a huge effort to always make himself available for a pass.
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